XN000022-1977-01-05 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1977

MEASURES TAKEN TO ENSURE SATISFACTORY STANDARDS

IN PRIVATE NIGHT SCHOOLS

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EVERYTHING POSSIBLE IS BEING DONE TO ENSURE SATISFACTORY STANDARDS IN THE 388 REGISTERED PRIVATE NIGHT SCHOOLS WHICH PROVIDE VARIOUS FORMS AND LEVELS OF EDUCATION FOR 96,700 STUDENTS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY, IN REPLY TO A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE HON. ALEX WU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON,

+1 AM AWARE THAT STANDARDS IN REGISTERED NIGHT SCHOOLS VARY CONSIDERABLY AND I DO NOT CLAIM THAT ALL THESE SCHOOLS ARE MAINTAINING HIGH STANDARDS, HE SAID.

+THE PRINCIPAL CONSTRAINTS ON IMPROVEMENT OF STANDARDS ARE THE SCALES OF FEES WHICH CAN BE CHARGED IN RELATION TO THE RUNNING COSTS, HE SAID, WITHIN THESE CONSTRAINTS AND WITH THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ME I AM DOING WHAT IS POSSIBLE TO ENSURE SATISFACTORY STANDARDS.+

MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT THE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WAS GOING TO ORGANISE A SEMINAR FOR THOSE ENGAGED IN EVENING SCHOOL WORK TO IDENTIFY THEIR PROBLEMS AND TO GIVE ADVICE.

HE WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH THE PROVISION OF POST- FORM 3 SECONDARY EDUCATION OF A GOOD STANDARD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO, FOR ANY REASON, WERE UNABLE TO PROCEED BEYOND FORM 3.

THE DIRECTOR ADDED: THE WORKING PARTY ON HIGHER EDUCATION IS LOOKING INTO THIS QUESTION OF EVENING SCHOOLS, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT'S OWN EFFORTS IN THIS AREA, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE PROVISION OF EDUCATION AT FORMS 4 AND 5 LEVELS.+

ON THE FORM OF CONTROL THE GOVERNMENT EXERCISES OVER NIGHT SCHOOLS, MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT BEFORE AN EVENING SCHOOL STARTED FUNCTIONING, THE OPERATOR MUST OBTAIN CERTIFICATES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS AND FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENTS TO SUPPORT HIS APPLICATION FOR PROVISIONAL REGISTRATION OF THE SCHOOL.

+THE MANAGERS, FEE SCALES, TEACHERS, SYLLABUSES AND TEXTBOOKS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT BEFORE THE SCHOOL IS FORMALLY REGISTERED UNDER THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE, HE SAID.

AREA OFFICERS, MR. TOPLEY SAID, MADE PERIODIC VISITS TO THE SCHOOL TO ENSURE THAT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE WERE MET, TO SEE HOW THE SCHOOL WAS CONDUCTED AND TO ADVISE THE OPERATOR AND TEACHERS ON IMPROVEMENTS.